Using AI and Precision Nutrition to Support Brain Health during Aging

Artificial intelligence, often referred to as AI, is a branch of computer science focused on developing systems that exhibit intelligent behavior. Broadly speaking, AI researchers aim to develop technologies that can think and act in a way that mimics human cognition and decision-making [1]. The foundations of AI can be traced back to early philosophical inquiries into the nature of intelligence and thinking. However, AI is generally considered to have emerged as a formal field of study in the 1940s and 1950s. Pioneering computer scientists at the time theorized that it might be possible to extend basic computer programming concepts using logic and reasoning to develop machines capable of “thinking” like humans. Over time, the definition and goals of AI have evolved. Some theorists argued for a narrower focus on developing computing systems able to efficiently solve problems, while others aimed for a closer replication of human intelligence. Today, AI encompasses a diverse set of techniques used to enable intelligent behavior in machines. Core disciplines that contribute to modern AI research include computer science, mathematics, statistics, linguistics, psychology and cognitive science, and neuroscience. Significant AI approaches used today involve statistical classification models, machine learning, and natural language processing. Classification methods are widely applicable to problems in various domains like healthcare, such as informing diagnostic or treatment decisions based on patterns in data. Dean and Goldreich, 1998, define ML as an approach through which a computer has to learn a model by itself from the data provided but no specification on the sort of model is provided to the computer. They can then predict values for things that are different from the values used in training the models. NLP looks at two interrelated concerns, the task of training computers to understand human languages and the fact that since natural languages are so complex, they lend themselves very well to serving a number of very useful goals when used by computers.

Analysis of Factors Associated with the Abandonment of Nutritional Recovery among Parents of Severely Malnourished Children Aged 6 to 59 Months in the Health District of Titao, Burkina Faso

Introduction: In Burkina Faso, undernutrition is a public health problem associated with more than 40% of infant and child mortality. Undernutrition management is complex, and there is often a risk of treatment abandonment. Studies on this topic have not explored the influence of environmental and therapeutic factors on parental compliance. This study proposes an analysis of factors influencing the abandonment of nutritional recovery by parents of malnourished children aged 6 to 59 months in ambulatory care. Methods: This was a descriptive and exploratory qualitative study. Data collection took place in February 2020. Data were collected from seventeen (17) participants via in-depth interviews (IDI) and direct observation. The IDIs were transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed using Nvivo software. Results: The results revealed that factors related to the physical environment, such as geographical inaccessibility, pastoral occupation, displacement at auriferous sites, and insecurity, are important causes of nutritional recovery abandonment. They also prove that factors related to the social environment, such as lack of family and social support, feelings of shame, stigmatization, occupation of the mother, and social events, lead to this abandonment. In addition, therapeutic factors such as interruptions of supplies of Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), feeling of improvement or worsening of the state of health, recourse to traditional medicine, and ignorance of undernutrition are also associated with this issue. Conclusion: This study highlighted barriers to the abandonment of nutritional recovery among parents of severely malnourished children aged 6 to 59 months in the health district of Titao, Burkina Faso. It is more important to consider these different factors when evaluating care protocols so that policies to reduce child undernutrition can considerably impact the targets.

A Study on the Effect of Staged Enteral Nutrition Health Education on the Rehabilitation of Patients with Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Objective:To analyze the influence of stage-specific enteral nutrition health education on the rehabilitation outcomes of patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding(UGIB).Methods:A total of 120 patients with UGIB,treated between August 2021 and August 2023,were randomly divided into two groups:the observation group and the control group.The control group received standard enteral nutrition nursing intervention,while the observation group received an additional stage-specific enteral nutrition health education intervention based on the control group’s method.The intervention status of the two groups was then evaluated.Results:Before the intervention,the serum hemoglobin levels of the two groups were comparable(P>0.05).After the intervention,the nutritional indicators in the observation group improved significantly and were higher than those in the control group(P<0.05).Additionally,the observation group had shorter bed activity times and hospitalization periods,a lower rate of abandonment of nutritional preparations,and a higher quality of life compared to the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion:The implementation of stage-specific enteral nutrition health education in the treatment of patients with UGIB helps accelerate the rate of recovery,improve nutritional indexes,and enhance the quality of life of patients.

Nutritional values,bioactive compounds and health benefits of purslane(Portulaca oleracea L.):a comprehensive review

Portulaca oleracea L.,commonly known as purslane,is a worldwide weed species belonging to the family Portulacaceae and has been known as“Global Panacea”.As one of the most widely consumed green vegetables and medicinal plants around the world,it has recently been re-evaluated as a potential“new crop”due to the properties that differentiate it as one of the best vegetable sources of omega-3 fatty acid(α-linolenic acid),as well as a variety of nutrients and phytochemicals.Accordingly,emerging research has found that purslane exhibits health-promoting properties like anti-inflammatory,anti-hyperglycemic,antioxidant,neuroprotective,and immunomodulatory.These findings suggest that this species possesses a potential using as a dietary supplement beyond potherb and traditional medicine.This review systematically summarizes the up-to-date research carried out on purslane,including the nutritional compositions,bioactive compounds,and health benefits it exerts as well as limitations,challenges,and future directions of research.Finally,we hope that this review would provide purslane with a comprehensive reference and future scope as functional and health-promoting food for disease prevention and treatment.

Efficacy of a Diabetes Specific Nutrition Supplement on Glycemic, Anthropometric, Dietary and Gut Health Markers in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes: An RCT

With increasing incidence of diabetes, use of diabetes specific nutrition supplements (DSNS) is common for better management of the disease. To study effect of 12-week DSNS supplementation on glycemic markers, anthropometry, lipid profile, SCFAs, and gut microbiome in individuals with diabetes. Markers studied were glycemic [Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG), Post Prandial Glucose (PPG), HbA1c, Incremental Area under curve (iAUC), Mean Amplitude of Glycemic Excursions (MAGE), Time in/above Range (TIR/TAR)], anthropometry [weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), waist circumference (WC)], lipid profile, diet and gut health [plasma short chain fatty acids (SCFAs)]. N = 210 adults were randomized to receive either DSNS with standard care (DSNS + SC;n = 105) or standard care alone (SC alone;n = 105). After 12 weeks, significant differences between DSNS + SC versus SC alone was observed in FBG [−3 ± 6 vs 14 ± 6 mg/dl;p = 0.03], PPG [−35 ± 9 vs −3 ± 9 mg/dl;p = 0.01], weight [−0.6 ± 0.1 vs 0.2 ± 0.1 kg;p = 0.0001], BMI [−0.3 ± 0.1 vs 0.1 ± 0.1 kg/m2;p = 0.0001] and WC [−0.3 ± 0.2 vs 0.2 ± 0.2 cm;p = 0.01]. HbA1C and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) were significantly reduced in DSNS + SC [−0.2 ± 0.9;p = 0.04 and −5 mg/dl;p = 0.03] respectively with no change in control. Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) reported significant differences between DSNS + SC versus SC alone for mean glucose [−12 ± 65 vs 28 ± 93 mg/dl;p < 0.01], TAR 180 [−9 ± 42 vs 7 ± 45 mg/dl;p = 0.04], TAR 250 [−3 ± 27 vs 9 ± 38 mg/dl;p = 0.05], iAUC [−192 (1.1) vs −48 (1.1) mg/dl;p = 0.03]. MAGE was significantly reduced for both DSNS + SC (−19 ± 67;p < 0.001) and SC alone (−8 ± 70;p = 0.04), with reduction being more pronounced for DSNS + SC. DSNS + SC reported a decrease in carbohydrate energy % [−9.4 (−11.3, −7.6) %;p < 0.0001] and amount [−47.4 (−67.1, −27.7) g;p < 0.0001], increased dietary fiber [9.5 (7.2, 11.8) g;p < 0.0001] and protein energy % [0.9 (0.5, 1.3) %;p < 0.0001] versus SC alone. DSNS + SC reported significant increases versus SC alone in total (0.3 ng/ml;p = 0.03) and individual plasma SCFAs. The consumption of DSNS significantly improves the glycemic, anthropometric, dietary, and gut health markers in diabetes.

Investigation of the nutritional and functional roles of a combinational use of xylanase and β-glucanase on intestinal health and growth of nursery pigs

Background Xylanase andβ-glucanase combination(XG)hydrolyzes soluble non-starch polysaccharides that are anti-nutritional compounds.This study aimed to evaluate the effects of increasing levels of XG on intestinal health and growth performance of nursery pigs.Methods Forty pigs(6.5±0.4 kg)were assigned to 5 dietary treatments and fed for 35 d in 3 phases(11,9,and 15 d,respectively).Basal diets mainly included corn,soybean meal,and corn distiller's dried grains with solubles,contained phytase(750 FTU/kg),and were supplemented with 5 levels of XG at(1)0,(2)280 TXU/kg xylanase and 125 TGU/kgβ-glucanase,(3)560 and 250,(4)840 and 375,or(5)1,120 and 500,respectively.Growth performance was measured.On d 35,all pigs were euthanized and jejunal mucosa,jejunal digesta,jejunal tissues,and ileal digesta were collected to determine the effects of increasing XG levels and XG intake on intestinal health.Results Increasing XG intake tended to quadratically decrease(P=0.059)viscosity of jejunal digesta(min:1.74 m Pa·s at 751/335(TXU/TGU)/kg).Increasing levels of XG quadratically decreased(P<0.05)Prevotellaceae(min:0.6%at 630/281(TXU/TGU)/kg)in the jejunal mucosa.Increasing XG intake quadratically increased(P<0.05)Lactobacillaceae(max:40.3%at 608/271(TXU/TGU)/kg)in the jejunal mucosa.Increasing XG intake quadratically decreased(P<0.05)Helicobacteraceae(min:1.6%at 560/250(TXU/TGU)/kg)in the jejunal mucosa.Increasing levels of XG tended to linearly decrease(P=0.073)jejunal Ig G and tended to quadratically increase(P=0.085)jejunal villus height to crypt depth ratio(max:2.62 at 560/250(TXU/TGU)/kg).Increasing XG intake tended to linearly increase the apparent ileal digestibility of dry matter(P=0.087)and ether extract(P=0.065).Increasing XG intake linearly increased(P<0.05)average daily gain.Conclusions A combinational use of xylanase andβ-glucanase would hydrolyze the non-starch polysaccharides fractions,positively modulating the jejunal mucosa-associated microbiota.Increased intake of these enzyme combination possibly reduced digesta viscosity and humoral immune response in the jejunum resulting in improved intestinal structure,and ileal digestibility of nutrients,and finally improving growth of nursery pigs.The beneficial effects were maximized at a combination of 550 to 800 TXU/kg xylanase and 250 to 360 TGU/kgβ-glucanase.

Nutritional Profile of Children with Major Sickle Cell Syndrome at the Centre of Medical and Health Advice of Kipé, Conakry, 2018

Introduction: Growth is a reflection of a child’s health and nutritional status. Children with sickle cell disease often have slower statural and weight development. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional profile of children with sickle cell disease (SCD) registered in the CEMECO centre database. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study with simple random sampling of children aged 1 to 16 years registered in the clinic database. Results: We collected information on 208 children, 121 of whom had sickle cell disease and 87 of whom were normal, with a sex ratio of 1.02. The mean age of the sickle cell patients was 8.7 ± 4.4 years, while that of the non-sickle cell patients was 9.5 ± 4 years. Haemoglobin electrophoresis revealed 103 homozygous (SS), 18 double heterozygous (SC, SBetaThal, SE) and 87 normal (AA) and/or sickle cell trait (AS) sickle cell cases. We observed a significant difference in the height/age ratio (P ¥). Conclusion: The results of our study revealed stunted growth in children with sickle cell disease.

Evaluation of the Application Effect of Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition Therapy Combined with a Health Belief Education Model in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Objective:To evaluate the application effect of enteral and parenteral nutrition therapy combined with a health belief education model in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.Methods:80 patients with inflammatory bowel disease admitted to the Shanghai Zhangjiang Institute of Medical Innovation were chosen.This study was carried out from August 2022 to October 2023.The patients were randomly divided into a study group(40 cases)and a control group(40 cases).The treatment plan for the control group was the conventional treatment model,while the treatment plan for the study group was to provide enteral and parenteral nutrition therapy combined with a health belief education model based on the control group.The efficacy of both groups was compared.Results:In the study group,the therapeutic effect for 31 patients(77.50%)was markedly effective and 7 was effective(17.50%),accounting for 95.0%of the total,which was higher than the control group at 80.0%(P<0.05).The relief time of relevant symptoms in the study group was shorter than that of the control group(P<0.05).Before treatment,there were no differences in the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP),interleukin 10(IL-10),and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)between both groups(P>0.05).After treatment,the levels of inflammatory factors in the study group(hs-CRP(8.02±1.13)mg/L,IL-10(9.24±1.25)pg/mL,and TNF-α(7.19±1.04)ng/L)were lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Enteral and parenteral nutritional therapy combined with a health belief education model showed significant efficacy in inflammatory bowel disease patients.Patient symptoms were relieved and inflammatory reactions were reduced.This method is worthy of popularization.

Focusing on individualized nutrition within the algorithmic diet: an in-depth look at recent advances in nutritional science, microbial diversity studies, and human health

A healthy balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are very closely linked.Whichever the biological link is,it is overwhelming to understand.Modifications in how food is served,divided up,and supervised,such as the introduction of nutritional hygiene standards,food handling practices,and the entry of macro and micronutrients,have had a big impact on human health in the last few decades.Growing evidence indicates that our gut microbiota may affect our health in ways that are at least in part influenced by our diet and the ingredients used in the preparation of our food and drinks,as well as other factors.As a new problem,this one is getting a lot of attention,but it would be hard to figure out how the gut microbiota and nutrition molecules work together and how they work in certain situations.Genetic analysis,metagenomic characterization,configuration analysis of foodstuffs,and the shift to digital health information have provided massive amounts of data that might be useful in tackling this problem.Machine learning and deep learning methods will be employed extensively as part of this research in order to blend complicated data frames and extract crucial information that will be capable of exposing and grasping the incredibly delicate links that prevail between diet,gut microbiome,and overall wellbeing.Nutrition,well-being,and gut microorganisms are a few subjects covered in this field.It takes into account not only databases and high-speed technology,but also virtual machine problem-solving skills,intangible assets,and laws.This is how it works:Computer vision,data mining,and analytics are all discussed extensively in this study piece.We also point out limitations in existing methodologies and new situations that discovered in the context of current scientific knowledge in the decades to come.We also provide background on"bioinformatics"algorithms;recent developments may seem to herald a revolution in clinical research,pushing traditional techniques to the sidelines.Furthermore,their true potential rests in their ability to work in conjunction with,rather than as a substitute for,traditional research hypotheses and procedures.When new metadata propositions are made by focusing on easily understandable frameworks,they will always need to be rigorously validated and brought into question.Because of the huge datasets available,assumption analysis may be used to complement rather than a substitute for more conventional concept-driven scientific investigation.It is only by employing all of us that we will all increase the quality of evidence-based practice.

Low skeletal muscle mass is associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in Korean adults： the Fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

BACKGROUND： Sarcopenia and non-alcoholic fatty liver dis- ease （NAFLD） share similar pathophysiological mechanisms, and the relationship between sarcopenia and NAFLD has been recently investigated. The study investigated whether low skel- etal muscle mass is differentially associated with NAFLD by gender in Korean adults. METHODS： We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the data from the Fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The skeletal muscle index （SMI） was obtained by the appendicular skeletal muscle mass divided by the weight. NAFLD was defined as a fatty liver index （FLI） 〉60 in the absence of other chronic liver disease. RESULTS： Among the included subjects, 18.3% （SE： 1.4%） in men and 7.0% （SE： 0.7%） in women were classified as having FLI-defined NAFLD. Most of the risk factors for FLI-defined NAFLD showed a significant negative correlation with the SMI in both genders. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that low SMI was associated with FLI-defined NAFLD, inde- pendent of other metabolic and lifestyle parameters in both genders [males： odds ratio （OR）=1.35; 95% confidence inter- val （CI）： 1.17-1.54; females： OR=1.36; 95% CI： 1.18-1.55]. The magnitude of the association between FLI-defined NAFLD and low SMI was higher in middle aged to elderly males （OR-1.50; 95% CI： 1.22-1.84） than in males less than 45 years of age （OR=1.25; 95% CI： 1.02-1.52） and in premenopausal females （OR=l.50; 95% CI： 1.12-2.03） than in postmenopausal females （OR-1.36; 95% CI： 1.20-1.54）.CONCLUSIONS： Low SMI is associated with the risk of FLI- defined NAFLD independent of other well-known metabolic risk factors in both genders. This association may differ ac- cording to age group or menopausal status. Further studies are warranted to confirm this relationship.

Nutritional and health benefits of semi-elemental diets: A comprehensive summary of the literature

AIM:To critically review and summarize the literature on nutritional and health outcomes of semi-elemental formulations on various nutritionally vulnerable patient populations who are unable to achieve adequate nutrition from standard oral diets.METHODS:We conducted a comprehensive literature search of Pubmed and Embase databases.We manually screened articles that examined nutritional and health outcomes(e.g.,growth,disease activity,gastrointestinal impairment,mortality,and economic impact)among various patient groups receiving semi-elemental diets.This review focused on full-text articles of randomized controlled clinical trials and other intervention studies,but pertinent abstracts and case studies were also included.Results pertaining primarily to tolerance,digestion,and absorption were summarized for each patient population in this systematic review.RESULTS:Results pertaining primarily to tolerance,digestion,and absorption were summarized for each patient population.The efficacy of semi-elemental whey hydrolyzed protein(WHP)diet have been reported in various nutritionally high risk patient populations including-Crohn’s disease,short bowel syndrome,acute and chronic pancreatitis,cerebral palsy,cystic fibrosis,cerebrovascular accidents,human immunodeficiency virus,critically ill,and geriatrics.Collectively,the evidence from the medical literature indicates that feeding with a semi-elemental diet performs as well or better than parenteral or amino acid based diets in terms of toler-ance,digestion,and nutrient assimilation measures across various disease conditions.CONCLUSION:Based on this comprehensive review of the literature,patient populations who have difficulty digesting or absorbing standard diets may be able to achieve improved health and nutritional outcomes through the use of semi-elemental WHP diets.

Association between drinking behavior and sleep duration in Chinese adults: findings from the China Health and Nutrition Survey

Background:To examine the association between alcohol drinking and short sleep duration among Chinese adults.Methods:Based on inclusion and exclusion criteria,28,167 records of 15,074 adults longitudinal data were obtained from the China Health and Nutrition Survey for the period from 2004 to 2011.A multilevel logistic regression model was employed to explore the association between alcohol drinking and sleep duration.Results:Compared with nondrinking participants,a high drinking frequency was positively correlated with a short sleep duration in both the males(odds ratio(OR)=1.33,95%confidence interval(CI)=1.20–1.48,P<0.001)and females(OR=1.60,95%CI=1.18–2.18,P=0.003)before the covariates were adjusted.After adjusting for age,residence area,education level,marital status,smoking,coffee consumption,tea consumption,and activity level,this association remained significant in the males(OR=1.31,95%CI=1.17–1.46,P<0.001)but not in the females(OR=1.16,95%CI=0.85–1.59,P=0.340).Conclusion:The present results suggest that a high drinking frequency was positively correlated with a short sleep duration in male population.Comprehensive measures therefore need to be implemented to improve sleep duration,especially to increase awareness of the dangers of drinking alcohol.

Nutrition Programs through Public Health Centers in Korea

In the peroid of confusion after the Korean War, there was an absolute shortage in the volume of food. The intake of energy and all other nutrients fell short of the recommended dietary intake. To solve the food shortage, there were many food assistant programs through the government channel. With the economic developments during past years, now, there are enough foods for everyone. Thus, food assistant program, which has been the only nutrition program in the government, is no longer needed except for low-income families.Currently, there are not enough nutrition programs in the government. In 1994, about 30 public health center start nutrition programs with the help of Korean Dietetic Association.In this study, kinds of nutrition programs, age, sex and number of participants, the content of programs are studied. The effects of nutrition programs are partially evaluated.Also, problems with current nutrition programs are discussed. Finally, future directions of nutrition programs in the public health centers are discussed

Assessment of Japanese healthy children’s nutritional status using Waterlow classification

Malnutrition is associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality, and may case an undesirable effect on the growth and development in children. There have been several reports about the prevalence of malnutrition in hospitalized children, but reports about malnutrition in a large number of healthy children are quite limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of likelihood of malnutrition in Japanese healthy children. We retrospectively reviewed data of height and weight at a regular health check in 7517 healthy children (age 3 - 17;3747 boys, 3770 girls) during 2008 and 2010 in Nara city, Japan. The data were evaluated using Waterlow classification, i.e., weight-for-height (W/H) and height-for-age (H/A). The prevalence of under-nutrition, as estimated by the values of W/H less than 90% and H/A less than 95%, were 20.1% and 8.3%, respectively, and this prevalence of malnutrition risk tended to vary substantially with age. The peak levels of the prevalence were found to be at around 12 years old for both sexes in W/H, and at around 11 years old for boys and at around 10 years old for girls in H/A. We have clearly demonstrated the existence of certain percentages of the likelihood of malnutrition at different ages in healthy children. These findings suggest that when we want to evaluate the nutritional status using Waterlow classification in hospitalized children, we should be careful by taking such reference values into account.

Impact of Health and Nutrition Interventions in the Prevention and Recovery of Child Malnutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa from 2010 to 2020: Review Article

Malnutrition is still a widespread public health problem worldwide. The objective of this review is to identify the most effective nutrition programs used in the prevention and management of child malnutrition in children under five years. Also, it is to suggest courses of action to improve interventions in the fight against malnutrition. The promotion of exclusive breastfeeding and food diversification improves the mothers’ knowledge and contributes to prevention of malnutrition. Food supplementation increases the weight/height ratio of malnourished children. The two programs combined bring better results on mothers’ feeding practices and children’s anthropometric data. This review has highlighted the importance of food supplementation and nutritional education in the management and prevention of child malnutrition. In addition, the combination of several approaches to good dietary practices brings better results. Finally, primary prevention can protect children from the harmful consequences of malnutrition.

Nutrition and Healthcare for Children from Rural Tibetan Households

Three major programs have been implemented in rural Tibetan areas in order to improve children's nutrition and healthcare,namely antenatal care,infant and young child feeding,as well as school feeding.In terms of effectiveness of service provision,the school feeding program has been put into practice more effectively than the other two for two reasons.First,rural Tibetan families are accustomed to traditional infant and young child feeding practices.Secondly,the lack of incentives for healthcare workers and the shortage of funding have hindered the provision of healthcare to rural families.Therefore,this paper proposes an adjustment of the incentive structure for healthcare providers,a fortification of the village level network of healthcare services,an improvement in the approach to healthcare education for farmers and herders,and the coordination of training courses targeted at the officials and service teams of the healthcare system.

The Association of Mercury and ALT with Obesity in Korean Adults Using Data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for 11 Years(KNHANES 2005,2008-2017)

The association between heavy metals in the blood and obesity has been examined in many studies.However,inconsistencies have been observed in the results of these studies.The present study was conducted using data from 119,181 participants of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(KNHANES)for 11 years in 2005 and between 2008 and 2017.The subjects with missing heavy metal blood tests,health interview data,and health examination data were excluded from the study.The study population comprised 1,844 individuals(972 men,and 872 women)who were eligible for inclusion.It was found that obesity and abdominal obesity were associated with an increase in both blood mercury(P<0.001)and alanine aminotransferase(ALT)(P<0.001).After adjusting the confounding factors,those with concurrent high levels of ALT and the highest tertile of mercury showed an increased risk of obesity(odds ratio 4.46,95%confidence interval 2.23-8.90,P<0.001)as well as abdominal obesity(odds ratio 5.36,95%confidence interval 2.57-11.17,P<0.001).The interrelationship of mercury and ALT with the parameters of body mass index(P for interaction=0.009)and waist circumference(P for interaction=0.012),respectively,have been observed to be significant,suggesting that the reciprocal relationship could contribute to obesity and abdominal obesity.

Improving efficiency of sow productivity: nutrition and health

This reviews research focused to understand the nutrient requirement and balance to meet the needs of fetal growth,mammary growth,and milk production.This summary will handle how feeding strategies can be adjusted according to the nutrient needs for a sow to enhance productivity and health.Most research data used in this summary are based on the studies conducted by the authors between 1996 and 2013.Nutrient requirements of sows are affected by stage of gestation and parity of sows.Dietary antioxidant concentrations need to be re-evaluated for its sufficiency in sow diets especially to prevent excessive oxidative stress during late gestation and lactation.When feeding sows,consideration of phase feeding of gestating sows and parity feeding of lactating sows could enhances production longevity and health of sows.Use of selected nutrients and additives seems to help productivity and health of sows.

Science of Camel and Yak Milks: Human Nutrition and Health Perspectives

Camels and yaks milks are rich in numerous bioactive substances that function beyond their nutritive value. Milk Camel milk is more similar to goat milk and contains less short-chain fatty acids than cow, sheep and buffalo milks, and about 3 times greater vitamin-C than cow milk. One kg of camel milk meets 100% of daily human requirements for calcium and phosphorus, 57.6% for potassium, 40% for iron, copper, zinc and magnesium, and 24% for sodium. Camel milk helps treat liver problems, lowers bilirubin output, lightens vitamin inadequacy and nutrient deficiency, and boosts immunity. Camel milk reduces allergies caused by cow dairy products. Camel milk has low milk fat made mainly from polyunsaturated fatty acids. It lacks ?-lactoglobulin and is rich in immunoglobulins, compatible with human milk. Yak milk has 16.9 - 17.7% solids, 4.9 - 5.3% protein, 5.5 - 7.2% fat, 4.5 - 5.0% lactose, and 0.8 - 0.9% minerals. Yak milk fat is richer in polyunsaturated fatty acids, protein, casein and fat than cow milk. Yak milk casein is used to produce antihypertensive peptides with capacities for producing value-added functional foods and proteins. Continual system-atic education of milk science especially for non-cow species will be an obligation for health implications to be optimally perceived by human populations worldwide.